1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a navigation apparatus for displaying a rough route map.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When a route from a present position to a destination is searched, a conventional navigation apparatus generates display data of a rough route map based on the searched route, and displays the rough route map in accordance with the display data.
FIG. 8 shows the display example of a rough route map. FIG. 9 shows original data regarding the rough route map. In the drawings, reference numerals S1 to S5 each denote a street names, S1 especially representing a street name, on which a vehicle is currently running; SD denotes a street name, on which a destination is located; LD denotes a route distance from a present position to the destination; and PT1 to PT5 each denote a guiding point which contains information regarding characteristics of the guiding points (e.g., left or right turn, roundabout, and so on). Reference numerals L1 to L5 each denote a distance from a given guiding point to a next guiding point; and AT1 to AT5 each attribute information, which may be used to identify a road width, a road number, a toll or toll-free road, and so on.
As shown in FIG. 8, the conventional navigation apparatus displays a turning direction at a guiding point, a distance between the guiding points, and so on, in addition to all the street names in the route. Consequently, if a route is long-distance, the list of the rough route map reaches several tens of lines, making it impossible to display all the listed points on one screen. Thus, in order to view desired information, it is necessary for a user to repeat a screen scrolling operation.
The conventional navigation apparatus constructed in the foregoing manner displays all the street names, and other bits of information in the route. Therefore, bits of information unneeded by the user may be mixed in the rough route map. Such mixing of unnecessary information has, in the convention art, required the user to extract necessary information by executing a screen scrolling operation.
The present invention was made to solve the foregoing problem, and it is an object of the invention to provide a navigation apparatus, which enables a user to view desired information without performing any burdensome operations.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided a navigation apparatus designed to generate display data of a rough route map extracting only information satisfying a display condition, when the display condition is set for the rough route map.
According to the navigation apparatus of the invention, when a display condition is set for displaying a rough route map regarding only a main road, display data of the rough route map regarding only the main road is generated.
According to the navigation apparatus of the invention, when a display condition is set for displaying a rough route map regarding only a road having a road number added thereto, display data of the rough route map regarding only the road having the road number added thereto is generated.
According to the navigation apparatus of the invention, when a display condition is set for displaying a rough route map regarding only a toll road, display data of the rough route map regarding only the toll road is generated.
According to the navigation apparatus of the invention, when a vehicle starts running on a toll road, display data for displaying only information regarding the toll road is generated.
According to the navigation apparatus of the invention, when a display condition is set for displaying a rough route map regarding only a left-turn road, display data of the rough route map regarding only the left-turn road is generated.
According to the navigation apparatus of the invention, when a display condition is set for displaying a rough route map regarding only a right-turn road, display data of the rough route map regarding only the right-turn road is generated.
According to the navigation apparatus of the invention, when a display condition is set for displaying a rough route map regarding only a road adjacent to a specified facility, display data of the rough route map regarding only the road adjacent to the specified facility is generated.
According to the navigation apparatus of the invention, when a display condition is set for displaying a rough route map regarding only a traffic jam, display data of the rough route map regarding only the traffic jam is generated.
According to the navigation apparatus of the invention, when the rough route map regarding the traffic jam is displayed in accordance with the display data generated by data generating means, a degree of congestion is displayed.
According to the navigation apparatus of the invention, when the rough route map is displayed in accordance with the display data generated by the data generating means, displaying is executed, indicating that only a rough route map satisfying the display condition is being displayed at present.
According to the navigation apparatus of the invention, when display data is generated for the rough route map satisfying the display condition, a distance between roads satisfying the display condition is calculated by considering presence of a road having been omitted because of dissatisfaction of the display condition, and data of the distance is included in the display data.
According to the navigation apparatus of the invention, when setting of the display data for the rough route map is accepted, setting of a logical product/logical sum of one or more display conditions is accepted.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a navigation apparatus designed to generate display data of a rough route map for displaying names of respective roads in a route searched by route searching means in a list form, and extract, when a display condition is set, roads from the respective roads in the searched route in accordance with the display condition, and then generate display data of the rough route map for displaying names of the extracted roads in a list form.